Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-26
INSECT REMEDIES.
soene Of tho Most Effective Inseetlcides
and How to Apply Them.

and How to Apply Them.
Every season we are deluged with in
uuiries for remedies for various insects,
and knowing the Importance OF the sub
iect we strive to give our readers all the
results of the experiments by scientific
gentlemen. Prof. Riley few years
ago prepared paper on the subject
He first alluded to the codling moth.
He believed that there was no question
that Paris green was not only a remedy.
but that there was little danger il using
it. But he still is unable to overcome
a dissemination to recommend it, es.
pecially since the late DIR. Hull main
tanned that he had found Stacked lime
busted on the trees to be equally as eff.
fectuaL Prof. Riley positively affirmed
that he knew that the worms some
times left one apple for another, 4
question that has been occasionally
discussed. For Plum Curculio. he be.
lieved that there wrs nothing superior
to Earring. He placed no faith in the
repellant powers of strong smelling sub
stances which are sometimes recon-
mended. He said if he were to enumer-
ate the six most important substances
that could be used for destroying in
sects above the ground. he would men,
ton tobacco. soap. hellebore, arsenic.
petroleum and pyrethrum. 1t has
lately been learned, too, that the vapor
of nicotine. that is, tobacco vapor. is
not only very effcctual in destroying
insects wherever it can be confined, as
in greenhouses, but that it is less in
furious to delicate plants than either
the smoke or the liquid. This fact
will explain the efficacy of tobacco
stems strewn upon the ground. As
IN instance of the good results attend
ing'the Estter plan he cited the expert
ence of William Saunders in dealing
with the Grape-leaf Hoppers. These
until two years ago baffied all his eff
forts; they caused all his grape leaves
to turn yellow and fall prematurely in
the grapery at Washington. But he
found that by strewing the ground UNI
der the vines with the tobacco stems
which are constantly being moistened
by the Swinging, the leaves were pre-
served intact and he had no further
trouble from that source.
The last three substances-arsenic,
petroleum and pyrethrum-have come
into use during recent years. These
have now also come to be so well
known that it is perhaps scarcely nee
essary to particularize as to their APP
plication. The arsenic-London pur-
pie, Paris green or other PREPARATION
has been more extensively used than
any other substance, and where it can
I've used safely it is undoubtedly the
most valuable of all. The value of diff
ferent preparations of petroleum has
also long been known, as no other SUBJ
stance is more destructive to insects
generally. But the great trouble has
been to use it with safety. because of
the difficulty experienced in mixing it
with water or diluting it in some
way. He explained how to make
u permanent kerosene emulsion.
Take two parts of kerosene with
one of sour milk and churn
the mixture together by means of
a force pump. which produces a butter
like substance that is easily diluted to
any degree with water This: he con-
tinued, he believed to be not only one
of the most invaluable insecticides, but
the only one that will effectually de-
stroy many of the worst pests which
afflct the fruit grower. Mr.. H. G.
Hubbard, one of his assistants at Cres-
cent City. Fla. has found such to be
the case with reference to the scale in
sects which infest the orange trees. He
also stated that a pc fmanent emulsion
can be made by substituting soap for
milk. or certain proportion of dis
solved soft soap could be added to the
kerosene and milk. The value of this
emulsion when applied by improved
spraying machinery is not yet appre-
ciated as it will be when it becomes
better known. Recent experiments
show that it can he used on almost all
kinds of vegetation without injury to
the plants.
In reference to pyrethrum, he said.
that it is most satisfactory when used
for insects like the cabbage worm and
other troublesome pests of that nature.
But its influence is of short duration
at best, and much depends upon get
ting a fresh and unauthorized article.
In regard to underground insects
effectual has been found so
far, except bi-sulphide of carbon and
napthaline. But he has every reason
to believe that the kerosene emulsion
can be successfully used here. and that
it will prove to be one of the most. if
not the most, satisfactory means of de-
the dreaded grapevine phyl-
loxera. In speaking of the various i'm
secticides before mentioned, he said
that all six of the substances to be used
above ground may be used in liquid
form, and he preferred to apply them
in that Western Rural.
. |Corn-starch Custard. table
spoonfuls of corn-starch boiled in one
1uart of milk. sugar to taste. npel of